Three stories of Final Fantasy 6, Part two: Gogo's secret II; another face by Weiila

Forget "Gogo's secret: epilogue" and that I turned
him/her/it into Daryl there; this is a totally different story.
Good grief, my brain is a deadly weapon... it work in devilish
ways sometimes.
Gogo has a hard position. He/she/it is such a mysterious
character that imagination about who he/etc really are can get
pretty free. I'm sure there's plenty of fics similar to
"Gogo's secret", where he is Daryl. Or he could be...
this. But what the heck, he has a secret; he's hiding his face,
and he's got a reason! Poor guy, having to put up with mad fanfic
authors' ideas...

How much is a friendship worth? Is it worth a soul or a face?

I hide my face. They don't know the reason, but they are polite
enough not to ask. I am grateful for that. Because I fear that if
anyone of them asked, I maybe would reveal the truth. I'm
actually not afraid to do it. I used to be, but not anymore. Now,
I fear their reaction. And that is much worse.
As they entered the zone eater and found their way to my cavern,
I was amazed. I hadn't seen a human for surely at least ten
years. They were just as puzzled to see me, ready to fight if I
should attack.
I asked them who they were, and they told me. Those who brought
me out of my cavern were Cyan, Setzer, Mog and Terra.
Terra.
Her name sent claws through my already tormented soul. But I hid
it. I thought that it couldn't be her.
Not her.
Not that Terra.
Impossible.
But it was her. As I got to know for sure later on, I hardly
could believe it.
As those four people found me, I asked them what they were doing
there. They told me that they were looking for friends that had
been thrown away at the end of the world.
I didn't even blink.
I only told them that I could sense that they were fighting to
right the wrongs. I told them that I thought that it would be
fun.
I lied.
As I heard Terra's name, the suspicion began to grow. But it was
so horrid that I refused to believe it.
Nothing could have prepared me for what my eyes should suffer
outside of the zone eater. I had remembered the world so
beautiful... but it was destroyed. Slowly fading away. I didn't
ask why. I only watched in terror.
They brought me on board the Falcon.
Shadow.
He was there. We both pretended that we hadn't ever seen each
other, but as soon as there was a moment when we could speak
unseen and unheard, we took the chance.
He told me what had happened. I told him no, it's impossible.
He told me that it wasn't.
I held onto something. I don't even remember what it was.
I had to ask him about Terra. He told me that it was really the
one I had thought about.
He told me that I had to tell the others. I nodded. I understood
that.
I told him that I would. Later on. I told him that it was better
to wait until they knew me a little, so that they would trust me.
He said that he understood my reasons.
I wish that he had persuaded me, from that very first moment.
Then I wouldn't feel so guilty now.
He left me alone, to sort out my chaos.
I thought that no, I can't believe it. It can't be true.
But Shadow wouldn't lie to me.
There were still a few friends that they had to find. I agreed to
help, but I had no thoughts of friendship. Something had gone
terribly wrong with the world, and I felt that I was the one who
should mend it, nobody else.
I only thought that these people also had suffered, so they had
the right to fight too.
I only thought that they were temporary allies. Seriously, did
they really have to know?
That's what I thought in the beginning. But then I begun to watch
them closer, without really wanting to. They told me about
themselves, and I listened.
Listened, but never told them anything in return.
Celes who had been a magitek knight. A beautiful woman that
should have a whole life to look forward to. But she had no
interest in her own life, only thinking about Locke, who we still
hadn't found when I joined the group. And Locke, the
"treasure hunter"... we all knew what his real
profession was. It puzzled me that he didn't seem to really
understand how much Celes loved him. Maybe he didn't dare to see
it.
The bitter Cyan reminded me of myself. His feeling of loss was
something I shared, but I never told him. I came to feel a little
jealous at him, who found peace of mind.
Gau and Relm fascinated me. They could even make me smile. Two
such young children were fighting for the world, as brave as any
adult. The wild boy even had something in common with me; his way
of using the attacks of monsters he had seen was much like my
mimicking. And Relm, that little girl with the foul mouth and the
fantastic talent of painting... not to forget her eccentric
grandfather. He looks like he's as old as the world itself, but
gods, he can fight!
I was amazed as I met Mog for the first time. As far as I
remembered, moogles didn't talk or fight. Or dance either, for
that matter. And they definitely didn't command enormous,
muscular yetis. But as Mog gave him orders, Umaro growled obeying
and happily ran into battle. Incredible.
Setzer, a gambler living with his loss of love. Even though his
eyes turned dark whenever something made him think of his Daryl,
his unbelievable optimism always became victorious.
I already knew Shadow. He hadn't changed at all, really. But
there was more life in him now; as if he had found something to
live for again. That was the first thing in ages that made me
feel a rare sparkle of tiny happiness, or maybe it was
compassion. I had thought that all those feelings were long
dead...
Edgar, that smooth talking mechanic king, who had left his
kingdom to save the whole world. His brother Sabin ... they
weren't very alike. Like day and night, and just as close. The
way that they worked together was admirable.
At one certain point my thoughts are always being shattered. My
soul begins to twitch in agony and memories, I have to sit down
or lean onto something. In those moments, I turn my mind towards
Terra. It's almost just as painful, but it helps.
Once upon a time I was sure that she was a doomed girl. But as I
see her now, knowing what she has gone through but still standing
strong... I feel a little less disgusted.
I often remember that moment when she talked to me, holding a
piece of magicite in her hands. She was talking about Locke. She
was also worried about him. I don't know why she talked to me
about it, probably only because I was the only one around for the
moment. Setzer was concentrating on driving the airship, too far
away to hear a word.
She said that she owed Locke so much, and that he was a dear
friend. She also worried about Celes. If something had happened
to the thief, Terra didn't know if the blond magitek knight would
be able to take it.
And she was worried that she wouldn't ever be able to feel what
Celes and Locke felt for each other. I thought that it really
must be nagging her since she told me, a silent, veiled creature,
such a thing. I hadn't been around for such a long time back
then.
I only said that I was sure he was alright. I had never even
heard about him before I met these people, but I had the idea
that Locke was such a man who isn't very easy to get rid off. Or
maybe there was something else that made me try to calm Terra.
Yes.
It hadn't anything to do with Locke or Celes. It was only about
Terra, and the bond she didn't know she had with me.
She smiled a little at me, but the smile faded quickly. I
wondered if I'd ever tell her my secret. My life had been
destroyed long ago, so what did I really have to loose? But I
knew I wouldn't tell her. Not in that moment. She was troubled
enough.
Then she turned my poor soul inside out. She held up the magicite
and told me, bitterly, that it was her father.
It still surprises me that I didn't faint dead. Somehow I managed
to just look at her, puzzled.
She said that she was an half-esper. She couldn't know that I
already was well aware of that.
I had already had the explanation about the magical creatures and
the magicite; even begun to learn a few spells. It felt hard at
first, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. Only with
magic could the wrongs be turned right.
But nobody had told me that he, Maduin, was among the
espers that now helped the world by lending their powers in
death.
When I was alone later on, I broke down crying. Like a baby. And
I'm not ashamed about it. There were so many things that were
lost, that I couldn't do anything about. The tears were stained
with rage too. A pure rage that filled my soul. I had to do what
I could. I wasn't born a warrior, but I had acquired some skills
down in the zone eater. I was a warrior now, and I would fight.
I never dreamed that I would find friends. They weren't merely my
allies anymore. To my surprise, they had become my friends. As we
finally found Locke, deep down in the Phoenix' cave, I shared
their happiness. And I shared Celes' shock as she realized that
Locke's lost love Rachel maybe would return to him. The poor
woman didn't know what to feel about it. She wanted Locke to be
happy, but she wanted to be the one who made him that. And she
felt guilty about it. A blind could see. But Rachel wasn't to be
saved; she relieved Locke from his feeling of blame and then died
peacefully. I wanted to help my friend, and Celes was waiting for
Locke, and he was grateful for that. I and all the others
watched, happy with them.
I should have told them. Before we entered the tower and began
fighting our way to the madman. I should have told them.
But I didn't. I was a fool.
They called me Gogo. Even Shadow did. He respected my silence,
even though he didn't like it. He also thought that I should have
revealed my face before we entered the tower. Before it was over.
But I didn't. I couldn't! They were my friends, I couldn't do it!
That was a year ago now. The world is recovering. We won.
I should have told them. Before it was too late.
A whole year...
I'm in Maranda, of all places. Just walking around deep inside of
my own thoughts. My chocobo is walking after me, since I'm
holding the rope around his neck. If I should let go, he'd run
away, back home. Even though we've been companions for almost a
year. The stupid animals are only true to the place where they
were born.
When I'm lost in thoughts, I begin scratching my cheek, rubbing
the cloth covering it. I have a scar there. Got it during the
final battle. It's become a habit to scratch it. I don't know how
it came to that.
Suddenly, somebody say my name. The name I told my friends, not
my real name. Even though he knows it. He is the only person
alive knowing my secret, except myself. I turn around and face
Shadow.
He says that it's time.
I sigh, knowing that it's true.
He doesn't have to tell me that I should have spoken earlier,
because we both know that it's so.
Interceptor is making my chocobo nervous. I unclench my hand, and
the rope hits the ground. For a moment the bird seem confused,
then it warks and runs. Leaves me there.
He was only an ally, nothing more. I wish that my friends had
stayed like that. I wouldn't dread telling them the truth if they
never had become friends.
In fact, the only thing I'm not afraid of is Shadow. Many others
are afraid of him, wisely. But he already knows, so I won't have
to bear his horror.
I tell him that he might have to force me. He grimly says that he
knows that.
I reach into a pocket, telling him that I have a job for someone
like him. It's not a joke, it's a bitter conclusion. I tell him
that I need to be brought to Mobliz, in chains if needed.
Shadow takes the small bag of coins and nods. He knows that I
don't want to go, that he has to help me. And so, our journey
begins, the journey I've dreaded for so long.

Terra leaned back against a tree, with a dreaming smile watching
the sunset above the ocean. A few of her children were around
too, but they hadn't time to sit still and enjoy the sight. Terra
heard them wrestle and laugh somewhere behind her, in the grass.
Then suddenly, there was a happy shout.
"Shadow!"
It was one of the boys that yelled, but Terra wasn't sure who it
was. She turned her head and stared into a wide-open mouth with
fierce jaws and a tongue that hit her cheek. After fighting back
the instinct of getting a heart attack, she realized that it was
Interceptor.
"Hey, don't scare her to death..." Shadow said in his
usual calm, almost bored way.
Interceptor moved away, allowing Terra to breathe and to see the
visitor. Well, actually there were two of them. Behind Shadow was
Gogo, veiled and clothed as always.
"Good evening, both of you," Terra smiled, a bit
surprised to see them.
Of course her friends often came to visit her and the others in
Mobliz; the destroyed town had been mostly rebuild. After Kefka's
death one year ago the world had been steadily recovering, and
the people had got to hear all about their heroes. In
gratefulness to Terra and wishes to help, every town had sent a
few workers to Mobliz to help out rebuilding. Merchants had shown
up too, to sell stuff to the heroine and the carpenters... and
so, one thing had lead to another and some of them had chosen to
stay. Mobliz was no longer a town of children. Yet Terra was
still the one who cared most for the kids, even though there were
several other grown-ups that helped her nowadays.
It was always great to see her old friends again. Setzer came
most often, since he had the greatest possibility due to the
Falcon. The others came about as soon as they found some time,
but it was actually the first time Gogo had shown up. Even Shadow
had come more often. He usually just said "Hello,
Terra" and then went away again, as if he just wanted to
make sure she was still in one piece. The children sometimes made
him tell them stories about his life, which, Terra hoped, mostly
were fiction.
But not Gogo. Of course, he was even more mysterious than Shadow,
and also even quieter. Shadow had often given suggestions in the
darkness of deep caves about how the group should proceed, but
Gogo just walked on with his companions, quiet and mimicking.
"The same to you," Shadow shortly said.
He turned his head swiftly at Gogo, as if trying to give the
mimic a quiet order. Then he went to sit down in the grass, a few
feet from Terra. He would always be the guy who didn't want human
contact, if a miracle didn't occur. Interceptor lay down beside
him. The kids went back to playing.
It seemed as if the whole world waited for something.
Finally, Gogo sat down in the grass, a few feet from Shadow. This
was going to be a distant discussion, if any at all.
But for the moment, Terra wouldn't let a couple of half-mute,
walking mysteries and a monster that called itself a dog mess
with her peace of mind. She leaned back again and watched the
golden and red silk sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Gogo, Gogo, suddenly
said.
Terra jumped a mile. Gogo gave the sky a compliment? It
was as if Relm had stolen Edgar's chainsaw and had gone berserk
through a forest.
"Yes, it is," Shadow said, emotionless.
OK, so Relm had the chainsaw, and Mog had the Bio blaster... and
Umaro walked after them, picking lilies in a neat little
basket... yep, that would be just as weird. If Cyan danced after
Umaro, dressed in a pink... maybe that was too much.
"It's moments like this that makes one happy to be
alive," Shadow continued, and somehow it felt like the words
were aimed at Gogo.
A pink dress. And a ribbon.
The image almost made Terra burst into crazed laughter. But she
pulled herself together and looked at the two men.
"Alright," she said, "what kind of drug did they
get you to drink?"
Two pair of eyes turned at her in surprise, then Gogo gave a
short snort, as a half chuckle and Shadow waved with a hand,
nodding.
"I guess you wonder why we came," the ninja said.
"Well..."
"Actually, I didn't come at all. I just brought Gogo here.
Come, Interceptor. Good bye."
And so Shadow stood up and walked away. His king-size pet
followed him.
"Bye," Terra said as they passed.
She turned to Gogo, who stared at the sunset.
"So, what is it, my friend?" she carefully asked.
Gogo picked a blade of grass and played with it, absentmindedly.
The fingers of his bright yellow gloves became slightly greenish
with the sap, but he didn't seem to care. It was impossible to
tell anything from the look in his eyes.
"Well," he finally said after a long silence, "I
just paid Shadow for forcing me here."
"Forcing you?" Terra blankly said.
"Yes. Was afraid I wouldn't dare if I didn't have him
bringing me."
"Hey, you've got nothing to fear here, have you?"
Terra stood up and walked over to him. He didn't look at her,
just kept working on the tiny green blade. It was mostly in
pieces now.
"Is there something that you wanted to tell me?" Terra
asked, tentatively.
Gogo took a deep breath and released it slowly.
"Yes, there's something..." he said, "I just don't
know where to..."
He suddenly stared at the blade of grass, as if he was shocked
about what his fingers had done to it. Now it was no longer a
long, green stick, it was a torn net. With a growl, Gogo threw it
away and shuddered.
"Damn..." he muttered and raised his hand.
The strange hat, helm or whatever one could call it moved
drowsily as he rubbed his forehead. Then his hand went to his
left cheek and he scratched the cloth hiding it, as if he wasn't
thinking about doing it. Only making it by instinct or habit.
"Are you alright?" Terra asked and took the risk of
putting her hand on his shoulder.
His head snapped in her direction and he stared at her hand,
seemingly shocked by the fact that Terra dared to touch him. But
as she hesitantly began to move it, he hurriedly put his left
hand over her fingers, stopping the movement. She nodded, and he
let go while she didn't.
"If you don't want to tell me right now, you can stay here
in Mobliz for as long as you like," she kindly offered.
"That's nice of you, Terra," Gogo said after an
hesitanting pause.
"Hey, you're my friend," she smiled.
He nodded, but his eyes wandered away to the sky again as if he
was afraid to meet her gaze.
Terra thought about how they had found him down in the zone
eater. Of all places one could dwell... but he was a living
mystery. Only once had she and the others been close to seeing
his face; during the final battle. Terra clearly remembered how
Kefka, aiming for Cyan, had managed to hit Gogo with his steel
wing, which had looked like it was made of soft feathers. Gogo
had been hit in the face, and bleeding he had fallen and crashed
upon the cliffs further down. His veil had been torn, but he had
ripped off a piece of the rest of his clothing before Celes had
jumped down to bring him up. The new veil had been bleed through,
but he'd kept fighting with a fury that hadn't ceased the
slightest.
Yes, as he now scratched his veil again, it must be the scar
after that wound that he really worked on. It was beneath the
cloth.
This walking mystery...
"Mama, I'm hungry," a voice suddenly groaned behind the
two.
"Yes, yes," Terra said with a smile and turned around,
taking her hand away from Gogo's shoulder, "you're right,
Cecil." (Hey, why not? It's an FF-fanfic!)
She looked back at Gogo.
"Coming?"
"Of course."
The mimic stood up. As Terra began to walk back towards the town
with Cecil's hand in her, the other kids assembled and followed
too. There were still monsters around, so better not stay out of
town without a grown-up, even though they could be so
irritating sometimes...
"Mama, who's that guy?" Cecil asked, pointing at Gogo.
"One of my friends," Terra explained with a smile.
"Cool! What can he do?" the child gasped.
"Ah, I see the others have held demonstrations," Gogo
said with an unseen smile.
Terra nodded, smiling.
"Well, why not?" Gogo said, "I haven't been
practicing in a while, anyhow. Go on, Terra."
"Back off a little, children..." Terra said and waved
with her hands.
The kids moved away, with gleaming eyes. Their mama's friends all
had some cool things to show, like cutting off leaves from a
distant tree with playing cards, making perfect imitations of any
attacking animal and stuff similar to that.
"Ready, Gogo?" Terra smiled.
"Whenever you are."
The woman with green hair nodded, and Gogo did the same. Then
Terra began to jump around like mad, standing on her hands and
wheeling. And whatever she did, Gogo did exactly the same. The
kids watched with wide eyes and open mouths as their mama danced
around with a brightly yellow, green and red shadow. Finally
Terra fell down in the grass, laughing and gasping to regain her
breath. Gogo kept mimicking her; he was just as tired.
"Great!" the children cheered, and the four year old
Lia even rushed over to Gogo and hugged him, with her typical
lack of shyness.
Gogo stared at the small, blond girl that held her short arms
around his neck (well, where his neck probably was below all the
cloth). For a moment Terra almost feared that he would push away,
but then Gogo patted the girl's back, with a smile in his eyes.
"Liked it?" he said.
"It was so cool!" the small girl grinned, "mister,
why do you wear that veil?"
Gogo cleared his throat, as if trying to win some time for
thinking.
"I... well, it's the only way that I could be just as
mysterious as Shadow," he finally said.
"Oh. OK," Lia merrily said.
A moment later they were walking towards the town again. As they
reached their goal it had begun to get dark, and there were
candles being lit in most of the houses.
"Run along now," Terra said, "dinner is probably
served already."
The kids shouted "good night" and ran over to a big
building in the center of town.
"The eating house," Terra explained to Gogo, "we
take turns cooking. Come on, I'll see if I can cook us something
without poisoning us both."
"If you cook half as good as you fight, I have nothing to
fear," Gogo said.
Terra glanced at him as they walked.
"Excuse me, Gogo," she carefully said, "but you
talk so strangely much today..."
He nodded.
"Yeah, I know. After all those years in the zone eater,
well... I hadn't so many people to talk to. So I'm trying to get
back now. Think it's about time."
"As long as you're happy, so..."
Terra smiled and opened the door to the house that was her home.
It was pretty small and neat, with a kitchen, a living room, a
toilet in the back and two guestrooms just in case. She slept on
the second floor's only room herself.
"I'll see what I can mix..." Terra said and waved at a
chair by the table, "if you sit there you can at least help
me fast in case something should catch fire."
"You can't be that bad at cooking," Gogo smiled,
"didn't you take care of all these children by yourself
before you got help?"
"Yeah, but I could use magic in case something went wrong
back then..."
She fell silent and sighed. Rather lazily she picked with some
vegetables in a bowl.
"Hey, Terra..." Gogo said after a long silence,
scratching his cheek, "does it pain you terribly that magic
is gone from this world and that the espers are all dead?"
She turned around, rubbing her forehead.
"Sometimes I miss it like mad," she admitted, "but
that's plain egoistic. I don't really need it anymore... and the
times when I long for it are getting rare. I'll survive."
"Good to hear," Gogo slowly said, "but the
espers... I sometimes think about that... we maybe could have
saved them."
"It wasn't your fault, my friend. We couldn't have done more
than we could, I'm afraid."
Terra smiled.
"And you know what, they aren't dead."
Gogo looked up, rather surprised.
"What? But I thought..."
"As the magicite disappeared from this world, it returned to
the world of espers," Terra told him, "and there the
other creatures could use the power of the holy phoenix that was
left there to revive those who had died. Father often speaks with
me, in my mind."
Gogo seemed to frown, concerned.
"But if they are alive, isn't there a risk that...?" he
said.
"No," Terra said and shook her head, "now that the
statues are gone, an esper entering this world would be
immediately teleported back. They can't stay where there's no
magic. There's no risk that the foolishness will repeat
again."
She smiled.
"I meant to tell you sooner, but it seems like we never met
again before now."
"Ah, my bad..."
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Terra hurriedly
said, "tell me, what have you been doing since we
parted?"
"Oh, not much. I bought a chocobo and rode around the world
a couple of times. Then when I was in Maranda for a while I met
Shadow. We talked a little, and... well..."
Gogo took another deep breath and released it slowly.
"What I came to tell you is... something... that I believe
only myself and Shadow know about."
Terra looked at Gogo in surprise. Shadow knew something about
Gogo? Had they known each other before all the battling
had begun?
"And it's... something that..." Gogo slowly continued,
almost stuttering and forcing the words past his lips,
"that... is very hard for me to explain. The thing
is..."
He fell silent and shook his head.
"Ever since we won, even before that, I've been trying to
think about how to tell you and the others," he said in a
miserable way, "it's just that I've been alone with it for
so long... this."
His fingertips touched his veil, but he made no attempt to remove
it.
"Look, Gogo," Terra kindly said and sat down in front
of him, "you're not lonely anymore. All of us, me, Setzer,
Sabin, Edgar, Locke... we are your friends, even though you never
really opened yourself to us. We trusted you anyhow."
There was a careful smile in Gogo's eyes.
"And," Terra continued, "if you're not sure that
you're ready to unveil yourself just yet, then you're welcome to
stay here until you are. I won't push you, you just take your
time."
Gogo looked her straight in the eyes.
"Thank you, Terra," he said with such honesty that it
almost was painful to hear.
A while later she cooked some dinner and gave him a plate which
he carried into one of the guestrooms and emptied alone. He had
always eaten alone, since he would have to remove the veil to do
so. And he wasn't ready yet.

Sabin watched the view in front of him. Ocean, ocean, ocean,
ocean etc.
It was boring. And when he got bored, he wanted to hit something.
Now was not exactly the time, though. Setzer would be mad. So he
had to think of something else. Maybe he should practice some
conversation. He had been working on that for quite some time
now, after beginning to think about doing something more with his
life then to train and fight. It had been enough for as long as
he could remember, but lately he had felt a little... alone. So
he had begun to make experiments. Talking could be really fun, he
had found out that with great amaze.
"Hey, Setzer!" he called and walked over to the albino
man who was driving the Falcon.
"Yeah?" the gambler said with a grin.
He had also found, to his amaze, that Sabin could lead really
interesting discussions when he actually tried. They had laughed
themselves through the whole evening the other day. Too bad he
couldn't remember what they had talked about... too much wine.
"Well," Sabin said and went through the list of
subjects, "Terra?"
"Terra?" Setzer thoughtfully repeated, "green
hair, pretty... wonderful woman."
"I wouldn't say she's just plain pretty," Sabin said
and got something dreaming in his eyes.
'Good grief...' Setzer thought and smiled to himself, 'Sabin?!'
There was a sudden thump!
"Hello, Shadow," the two men said without even turning
around.
"Good afternoon."
"How long had you been up there?" Setzer asked, as
someone who's into business.
"Since you left South Figaro."
The ninja and Interceptor walked over to the stem of the airship.
"Heading to Mobliz too?" Sabin said.
"Yes. I have to see if Gogo kept his promise."
"Gogo?" Setzer and Sabin repeated, puzzled.
"Left him there a week ago," Shadow said without
turning around, "if he has done as he promised me he would,
then I guess all is well so far. Otherwise I'll help Gogo to
speak whether he likes it or not."
There was a very rare anger in the ninja's voice. Even
Interceptor looked nervously at him.
"So, you... hm, want Gogo to be honest?" Sabin said,
extremely careful.
"Yes, I do," Shadow growled, "there is something
that he should have told all of you a long time ago."
Shadow snorted and finally glanced over his shoulder.
"I do have some sense of honor, you know. And Gogo's
silence is far below any sort of that twisted thing."
"Can this ting fly any faster?" Sabin whispered from
the corner of his lips.
"I'll try..." Setzer replied.
They landed outside of Mobliz about one hour later. Terra ran out
to meet them, smiling.
"Hello, Setzer, Sabin! Oh, Shadow?"
"Has he told you?" the ninja coldly said.
Terra's eyebrows went up.
"Told me? Who, Gogo?" she said.
"He hasn't. Come, Interceptor."
"Hold it!"
Sabin had been bored for far too long. He leaped over Shadow's
head and blocked his way. It was hard to tell who in the group
was most surprised. Maybe Sabin himself. But he found himself
quickly.
"Why are you so mad at Gogo? Take it easy!" he said.
"I took it easy for over a year," Shadow coldly said,
"now I'm tired of him. Move."
"Now wait a darn minute..."
"No, it's true," Gogo's voice sadly said, "Shadow
is right."
They all turned to look at the mimic. He looked as if he had been
walking around the world ten times, carrying a house on his
shoulders.
"You didn't keep your word, Gogo," Shadow coldly said,
"we had an agreement. I'll have to keep my part if you
didn't, as you said yourself."
Gogo sighed.
"I know I had a week to speak, Shadow," he said in a
tired voice, "but please give me one more day. If I can't do
it, then you can... help me whatever I say."
There was a silence. Everyone anxiously and wondering awaited
Shadow's answer.
"One day," the ninja finally said, "I'll come to
Terra's house tomorrow evening to hear your story or tell it
myself."
And with that, Shadow turned and walked down the long shoreline
south of the town, Interceptor by his side.
"What's this all about?" Setzer asked.
"It's about me."
Gogo turned and walked back into town without another word.
"He's been living by me for a week," Terra explained,
concerned, "and he's been trying to tell me about himself.
But he can't, it seems too painful. And I've got the idea that
Shadow don't want to be alone knowing it anymore."
Sabin and Setzer nodded.
"He said something about honor," the gambler said,
"and, well... it's apparent that Gogo promised that he would
tell his secrets. I'm really curious now, Shadow is taking this
gravely personal."
"Well, I guess we can only wait," Terra sighed.

He stood in the guestroom that Terra had given him. It hadn't
been easier to sleep during the night with Sabin's snoring
roaring from the living-room. He had been sleeping on the couch,
his companions had too well remembered how it had been trying to
fall asleep by his side during their journeys. So Setzer and Gogo
had refused to share the room with him, and the gambler had
concluded that the mimic needed peace of mind for a while longer;
therefore not asking to sleep in his room. Sabin had
understood. Eventually.
The sun was sinking outside. Gogo could come to that conclusion
even though he had shut the curtain tightly. There's just
something about certain light...
He stared at himself in the mirror on the wall (if Terra had
known anything about Feng Zhui, this scene had been totally
spoiled). For the first time in many years he had removed the
whole helmet and veil in a house he wasn't completely safe in.
Surely, he had locked the door, but anyone of his friends could
break it down any second. Yet he had chosen to trust them. He
knew he could. It hurt. It was like a red hot dagger that worked
its way through his whole soul. Friends. But...
The fear grew again, and he almost wanted to run. But it was too
late. He wouldn't make it far, and there was absolutely no place
in the whole world where he could hide. Not from Shadow. The
ninja had had enough. From the very first moment that they had
brought Gogo out of the zone eater, Shadow had waited for the
truth. But it had never arisen from its grave; time hadn't made
it easier. No, it had walked in the other direction, filling the
mimic with disgust. Shadow was a patient man, but the disgust had
gripped him too, and he wanted the truth to be revealed to clean
up as much as possible.
Gogo stared at the face he had hidden for so many years. How long
had it been? How old was Terra? 21? Yes, she had been eighteen
when she had been saved from the empire, then it had taken half a
year before the goddesses were moved. And then one more year
before the group had started to assemble again in the World of
Ruin. That process, which had ended with the madman's fall, had
taken another six months. And another year had passed since
then...
The reflection stared back with loathing in its eyes.
"I hate you..." Gogo growled, touching the reflection's
pale, scarred cheek, "I hate you!"
He recoiled, backing into the other wall with his hand pressed
against his mouth. The words stained his tongue and lips, filled
the air and laughed scornfully at him. He could almost hear
another voice laugh, a voice so screeching and harsh that it sent
shivers through Gogo's whole body. He sunk to his knees, burying
his face in his hands.
21 years...
This face, that he had begun to dread, the face which was his...
I hate you.
There was a knock on the door.
"Gogo?" Terra carefully said on the other side of the
wood, "Shadow has come."
"I'm coming too," Gogo answered.
She still called him Gogo. That felt like the last grain of
security left in his life. And soon it would be gone.
He stood up and put on the veil and the helmet. So little had
kept his secrets away, only this thin piece of cloth. He knew
what those who now awaited him could do when they found out. But
he didn't fear death, that had been very long ago. He only feared
the fury of his... friends.
Only trying to mend, not wanting to be a part of a group... but
what had happened? Something had gone wrong. He had begun to care
about them, all of them. Edgar, Strago, Relm, Locke, Celes,
Terra... how he had suffered keeping quiet and knowing that they
trusted him! How he had feared their anger when facing the truth!
It was too late. He had to bring it up, bring up his story and
his face. And hope that they wouldn't scream.
He secured the veil and then unlocked the door.
They waited for him in the living room, all of them. Setzer,
Sabin, Interceptor, Shadow and Terra.
Oh, Terra... forgive me for telling you the truth, but I have
to...
He sat down in the sofa, and they all watched him.
Begin, their eyes pleaded, we trust you. Shadow only looked
coldly and demanding at him. He took a deep breath and began.
"First of all," he slowly said, "I know Shadow
from a time when he saved my life. He had come looking for a
friend, but he found me instead. I never asked and I will never
ask why you took me when your friend wasn't to be found."
Shadow said naught.
"I was in an absolutely secure cell in Vector," Gogo
bitterly continued, and several eyebrows went up in surprise,
"no windows, a thick, unbreakable door, guards everywhere...
everything. And yet, Shadow got me out of there. As you
understand, the empire wanted me out of the way. So Shadow
brought me to Triangle island and into a zone eater; we both knew
that nobody would look for me there. He was also the one who
brought me these clothes."
Those who still waited for the whole story hardly believed their
ears. This was unbelievable. Shadow doing such a thing? Who
the...?
"One can say that yellow clothes with green and red stripes
are something that lies within my family. We used to have it on
our family herald long ago..."
Gogo fell silent.
"Go on," Shadow coldly said, "you haven't come to
the important facts yet."
"I'm getting to it..." Gogo sighed and continued,
"it was down in the zone eater that I learnt to mimic. There
wasn't much else I could do. Those other 'humans' you saw down
there were simply humanoid monsters. I started to mimic to keep
sane, and I found it to be a powerful weapon if I got attacked.
So I trained and trained... and then you people showed up one
day."
He fell silent again. Then he took a deep, slightly shivering
breath.
"I know... that you want to know now... why I was imprisoned
in the first place. Before that, I was a powerful man among the
empire. I worked only by Gesthal's orders, but... I suddenly
began to ask myself what I was doing. And somebody who I trusted
more than anyone else... whispered in Gesthal's ear, and so I was
imprisoned."
A silence followed.
"But Gogo," Terra finally said, "if you betrayed
the empire... you fought on our side, you know."
Shadow held up a hand.
"Wait before you forgive, Terra," he coldly said,
"you haven't heard, or rather seen, the best yet. Now,
Gogo."
Closing his eyes, Gogo reached up and put his hands on the
helmet. But then his arms fell.
"Shadow..." he whispered, as if pleading for mercy,
asking the assassin not to put him through this.
But the ninja walked over to him without a word, pulled out a
dagger and cut the veil and helmet's cloth in pieces. Gogo hid
his face in his hands as Shadow violently ripped all the
equipment away, then finally grabbed the mimic's wrist and tore
his hands away from... his.... face. That face.
Terra, Sabin and Setzer stared. Gogo stared back.
Shadow let go of the shivering wrists and crossed his arms.
They stared at him. He stared back.
Terra, Sabin and Setzer stared at Gogo.
Kefka stared back.
"You!" Sabin finally growled after recovering from the
shock and flew from his chair, boiling with anger.
"Gogo?" Terra gasped.
"Kefka!?" Setzer choked.
"And now you know," Shadow growled.
His hair was long and wild, uncombed, and the total loss of
sunburn made him eerily pale, even paler than they remembered
him. A scar went over his left cheek. The eyes had, strangely
enough, no insanity. But it was Kefka. A very miserable Kefka.
"That is my name," he said in a low voice, "I am
Kefka. That's the name that my twin brother Kerr stole from me as
he took my place."
Stop the berserking...
"Twin brother?" Terra, Sabin and Setzer blankly said.
Kefka nodded.
"Yes, my twin brother. Who destroyed the world in my
name."
"You mean that... you are not the Kefka?" Setzer
said, dumbfounded.
"Yes and no," Kefka bitterly said, "Kerr took
everything from me, my name, my identity, my work, my life... but
he added his madness."
He sighed deeply. For a second his hand touched his scar, but
then he removed his fingers from it.
"But I am not innocent," he continued, even more
bitter, "it was I who started to study the espers and found
the path to them. I advanced in the empire, reached Gesthal...
and Kerr was left one step behind me all the time. But I always
thought that he didn't mind, that we were friends. I guess that
you know what kind of bond we had, Sabin... I mean, what kind of
bond I thought we had..."
He shook his head.
"So, I found the secret of espers, and... Gesthal lead the
expedition. I was just as thrilled as everyone else in the whole
empire. But then they returned..."
Kefka rubbed his face with his hands.
"Most of the espers had been put to sleep with some drugs,
but there was one who they hadn't dared to touch after he had
awakened from unconsciousness. He was bound with chains thicker
than his own legs, but he was on the brink of breaking free all
the time. Never have I seen such fury. It was your father,
Terra..."
He couldn't look at the others in the room, just stared down on
the table and kept talking.
"I clearly remember his eyes, they have haunted me all since
that day. His anger was almost driving him crazy... 'give her
back, Gesthal', he called over and over again, 'give me my Terra,
my daughter'... and the emperor just sneered at him. Later, as I
asked, Gesthal showed me the baby he had got from a dying woman;
a woman that had given birth to a half-esper. And he laughed at
her pathetic plea that he would take care of her child... I felt
tainted, blemished, filthy. It was all because of me, my fault...
that wasn't what I had worked for! I kept quiet for a few days,
then I spoke with Kerr when I couldn't hold back all my doubts
and regret anymore. And he went straight to Gesthal and left his
report. I was arrested..."
He clamped his teeth.
"But however, I was well known and liked among the
scientists that worked with the espers. Gesthal didn't want their
work to slow down a minute, so he allowed Kerr to take my place.
Which my brother did with pleasure. And that is my story. Shadow
freed me after about eight years later... I'm pretty surprised I
hadn't turned mad as well by then. I came from the zone eater to
find that my brother was still alive, and I was prepared to do
anything to mend that. I had no real intention to find... allies.
For a while I even wanted to tell you all, but... as I heard you
talk about my brother, using my name... and I saw his madness...
I couldn't."
He finally looked up at the others in the room. They were silent,
watching him.
"It was my fault, Terra," he said, "I found out,
planned and showed the way to the espers. This whole war, all
those who died... the destruction and pain... is to be put on my
account. And also... your and Celes' stolen lives, Terra. The
death of Rachel and Cyan's family... the old king of Figaro...
Narshe... the whole world's downfall... because of my
discoveries."
Silence.
Suddenly Shadow pulled out the Striker and put it on the table
before Kefka.
"I know what your first impression was," the assassin
coldly said, "I don't know what you think now. But I won't
allow anyone to touch this man."
Everyone stared at him, surprised.
"The empire took my friend Baram," Shadow continued,
hissing, "so I took someone who they thought was important.
Therefore, I won't allow that somebody kills him."
"Don't be silly," Terra said, "if Gogo just
happens to be Kefka's... Kerr's brother, what does it matter? He
is still Gogo."
She turned to the stunned Kefka.
"You couldn't know what it would turn out like," she
said, "I'm sure you didn't believe that the reality would be
so cold and harsh. It's like with Celes."
"I wonder how she will take this..." Sabin
grunted, still not sure if he would trust Kefka/Gogo, "not
to mention Cyan. I remember how long time it took before he
accepted Celes."
Kefka rubbed his forehead.
"I guess we better find out," Terra said, "come
on!"
"Huh?" Kefka gasped as she grabbed his hand and brought
him to his feet.
"Let's go to our friends and tell them," she resolutely
said, "it's the only way they could begin to break their
distrust and accept the truth."
"But Terra..."
"Not another word," Sabin said and grabbed Kefka's
shoulders, "go on, we're blowing this joint."
It seemed like Edgar's brother finally had come to a more
understanding decision. He and Terra more or less dragged Kefka
towards the door. Setzer shrugged his shoulders and hurried over
to his friends.
Shadow blocked the door.
But there was no weapon in his hand, only a big piece of yellow
cloth; the biggest remain of the torn veil.
"Better put this on if we're going to walk around
outside," the assassin said, "your face is not very
anonymous."
"Right... thanks," Kefka mumbled.
He took the cloth and wrapped it around his head with skilled
hands.
Shadow opened the door and walked out into the night, followed by
his friends. Interceptor strode on behind, as if being on guard.
Kefka didn't seem too fond of the idea to show his face to the
rest of the world.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Gabbiani seem to have landed outside of
the castle," a servant announced.
"Oh, bring him in at once," Edgar said.
He turned to his guests with a smile.
"Ah, yet another of our comrades approaches?" Cyan
smiled, "mayhap these dull discussions of state can be
turned down for a moment..."
"I haven't heard a boring word for an hour," Locke
pointed out.
"That may be because thou dost not turn thy ears to king
Edgar and myself, my friend," the leader of the rebuilding
of Doma kindly said, "thy whole concentration is aimed
towards thy lady."
"Now, now, Cyan," Celes laughed, "since when did I
become a lady in your eyes?"
"Since the first moment I realized that thy soul not stored
the great darkness I accused thee to carry within."
The servant came hurrying back.
"Your Majesty, apart from Mr. Gabbiani, Your brother prince
Sabin, miss Branford, a Mr. Shadow and Gogo are also here."
"Good grief," Edgar said, "now we've got almost
everyone..."
Terra, Sabin and Setzer stepped into the room, watching Gogo over
their shoulders as they walked. Shadow and Interceptor closed the
surrounding of the mimic.
"Hello, people?" Locke said, as puzzled as everyone
else.
"Hello," Gogo said in a low voice.
"May I ask what you are doing?" Edgar said.
Terra put her hand on Gogo's arm, calming.
"There's something that our friend here wanted to tell
you," the woman with green hair said, gravely.
"You act as if he's Kefka resurrected or something,"
Edgar said.
Gogo groaned.
"Well, brother, please don't scream..." Sabin said and
reached for the veil.
"Sabin, please don't..." Gogo weakly began.
The veil fell.
"... Be so hasty... good grief."
Figaro castle shivered by a roar.
"Kefka!?"
"Next time I'll have you talking first, I promise,"
Sabin muttered and parried a guard's arm.
"I'd be happy if you would..." Kefka miserably said.
"Stop it!" Setzer shouted, "he isn't Kefka... I
mean he is, but not that Kefka... I mean, he is his
brother!"
Edgar pushed himself through half his army and waved at the
soldiers to back off.
"Alright," the king grimly said, "what's going
on?"
"It's Kefka, that's what it is!" Locke concluded,
playing with a dagger.
Cyan and Celes said nothing, but their hands were close to the
hilts of their weapons.
After Kefka finally had time telling his story again, the air was
still thick with distrust. Especially Cyan was very skeptic and
resolute.
"And thus, we shall believe the words of this man and
Shadow?" the swordsman coldly said, "I am sorry, but in
this matter I cannot trust what I hear of the foe's mirror and an
assassin."
He was angry, very angry. That he had dared saying something like
that about Shadow was proof enough. One had to be very close to
rage or completely out of one's mind to say something like that
with the man in black present.
Kefka, or Kerr, had murdered Cyan's family, and also many, many
others. Everyone had thought that Cyan had forgiven himself for
not being able to protect his love and son. Well, he had forgiven
himself, but by no means the face that had poured the poison into
the water.
"You mean he could be the Kefka we thought we killed?"
Terra said, disbelieving, "that is impossible, don't you see
that?"
"What is this word 'impossible'?" Cyan growled,
"be he Kefka or Kerr, or carries a third and even fourth
name, he might be the same man, trying to fool us into new, false
feelings of security."
"My name is Kefka," the man in the center muttered,
"but I was not the one who poisoned the people of
Doma."
"How canst we know that?" Cyan snapped, "thy guise
might be merely a new one! Could it be so that 'Gogo' was a game
thou played, mocking us while we fought for what was left to love
in our dying world?"
"No, that's not true, Cyan!" Kefka cried out.
"Dost not dare to speak my name, fiend!"
Kefka stared at the floor.
"We killed Kefka... Kerr or whatever," Sabin said,
surprisingly calm, "that is a fact."
"What tells us that the goddesses hath no power to create
another evil from the first?" Cyan coldly said, "the
one we killed did not have the guise of the Kefka we knew before;
that being was nothing of a human."
"Cyan has a point," Locke said, "we don't know if
this Kerr ever existed."
"I got this man from a prison cell," Shadow calmly
said, "and that was long before the goddesses had
awakened."
"What dost thy memory tell us?" Cyan coldly said,
startling everyone by showing such courage, "thy own life is
still hidden in mist, Shadow."
At first, everybody just waited for something sharp to dash
through the air. But Shadow only nodded slowly.
"I do understand your point," he said.
"Isn't there anybody that could have at least known about
Kefka having a twin brother?" Setzer said, trying to come to
a solution, "Celes?"
She shook her head.
"No, but... that doesn't mean that he's lying," she
slowly said, "people had no value at all in the empire, and
the less you knew about others, the better for everyone."
"Cid," Kefka suddenly said.
"Cid?"
"I used to work with him before I was arrested... he knew
Kerr a little. If he's still around somewhere..."
Edgar and his friends exchanged glances.
After the victory one year earlier, the first thing Celes had
done had been to fetch her "grandpa" from the solitaire
island. He had attended the celebration at Figaro castle, and
then he had stayed there, fascinated by all the machinery. He was
still there, now working as chief mechanic and scientist for a
good purpose. His research of edible cacti had shown to be a
start for growing a new kind of crops in the desert. Figaro had
produced weapons and armory, but that industry had been pushed
aside for more peaceful industry. What the world really needed
was farming to recover food for both humans and animals, and
tools for that was highly demanded. And the vast desert was
suitable for growing cacti which was starting to become popular
worldwide. With little water Cid's discoveries grew and carried
fruits. Some of the plants' trunks were also tasting well, if one
only could get past the needles...
Figaro was facing a prosperous future, and Cid should have a lot
of thanks for that. Oh yes, he was still around.
Edgar looked up at all the soldiers in the room. It was a big
room, so there was space enough for many uniformed men. And they
were all determined not to move before Kefka had been found
either guilty or not.
"Would somebody go and get Cid, right away?" Edgar
said, his voice making it clear that he would be happy if there
were quite a few people leaving the room.
The soldiers knew their king. They weren't too fond of it, but
they left, leaving a lot more air to be used for breathing.
"Put the veil back on," Edgar said, "I do want him
to think clearly and all by himself."
Kefka obeyed.
It took a couple of minutes before Cid arrived. The first thing
he did was smiling at Celes.
"Hello, dear," he said, "sorry I had to go back to
work."
"It's alright, grandpa," she said and managed to smile
a little, "Edgar wanted to... we wanted to talk to
you."
"Oh, and what's the matter? Hello, when did you get
here?"
The last thing was aimed at the five people and the dog who had
arrived last of the old crew.
"They just came here," Edgar grimly said, "tell
me, Cid, did you know Kefka before he... snapped?"
Cid's eyebrows went up.
"Why yes," he said, "why do you want to know
that?"
"I'll explain in a moment," Edgar said, "what can
you tell us about him back then?"
"Well, I studied all the old scripts about espers and magic
with him," Cid said and shuddered, "on Gesthal's
command, of course. There were many others than us working on it,
but we were in the lead. We thought that if we found the way to
the espers it would be to create some kind of alliance that could
help both sides. We never dreamed what Gesthal's real intention
was, you see. Then of course, when the espers had come the
reality showed up to be different. But I never dared to protest,
and so I grew to believe that what happened was alright..."
Cid cleared his throat, realizing he had left the subject.
"But you were talking about Kefka," he continued,
"and before we succeeded in our cause, he was someone I
liked to know; inspired, hardworking and reasonable. I never
dreamed he would change like he did when the espers were brought
in. It was like turning a page. I guess it was because his
brother was killed by the espers, one of them broke free and... I
never saw it, but people talked about it in weeks afterwards. Of
course, not even that can excuse what he did."
"Wait," Locke said, frowning and acting as if he hadn't
already heard about it, "Kefka had a brother?"
Cid pursed his mouth.
"Yes, he had. A twin brother, actually. I don't like to talk
about him, always thought that he was creepy. But Kefka liked
him, even though they were like day and night. His name was Kerr,
and if somebody of those two had turned mad, I had never believed
it should have been Kefka. Now, why did you want to know about
this?"
Terra, Edgar, Locke, Celes, Cyan, Setzer and Sabin exchanged
glances.
"What's going on?" Cid asked, puzzled.
"It's me, Cid," Kefka bitterly said and removed the
veil, "Kerr never died. It was just another of Gesthal's
lies."
Cid stared at him.
"Kefka?" he stuttered.
"Yes."
Kefka looked at those at whose side he had been fighting against
his own brother. Terra was smiling carefully, and there were
signs of accepting in Sabin and Setzer's eyes. But they had
become slightly used to the thought by now. Edgar, Locke and
Celes might turn a little softer in time, but Cyan's eyes were
like poisonous needles in Kefka's soul. The swordsman was as
stubborn as he was strong, the mimic had known that if somebody
wasn't going to accept the truth, it would be Cyan or Celes.
Kefka had hid for a reason.
Still Kerr kept haunting him. He would always do so. Whenever
Kefka looked at his own, scarred face in a mirror, if he
destroyed even the tiniest blade of grass or even laughed (which
he actually hadn't done in years), he would think of Kerr. That
madman, that monster who had been his brother wouldn't ever stop
torturing him, always finding new ways to do it. Right now he was
smashing the delicate friendships that Kefka had built up using
another name. No, those people wasn't his friends. They were
Gogo's. He looked down at the yellow piece of cloth that he still
held in a tightly clenched fist. That veil was Gogo. Another
person; a mysterious but trustworthy ally. But without it, he was
simply... Kefka. And not the Kefka he was born to be, but the
Kefka that Kerr had created. And that Kefka was not an ally or a
friend.
Kefka. What a name to carry...
He noticed in the corner of his mind that the Cyan and Terra
party had fallen into a discussion, but he didn't listen. Either
they would decide to leave him alone, or they would choose to
forgive him for carrying the face which they hated. Or to do away
with him, but he didn't believe they would consider that.
Whatever the decision became, they wouldn't be the same now that
they knew. They couldn't be the friends of Kefka. Gogo had been
quiet and mysterious, but he had been a much closer friend that
Kefka ever could be. And now, Gogo was dead.
He lazily wondered how long it would take to find another zone
eater...
"Kefka."
He looked up and found Cid's eyes.
"I'm glad it wasn't you," the mechanic gravely said.
"You must be the only one," Kefka bitterly muttered.
"Aren't you?"
Kefka glanced at Cyan's back and then looked away again.
"Not that much."
"Hey," Cid kindly said, "at least forgive yourself
when it comes to the espers. You weren't the only guilty one, and
none of us knew the truth. Besides, they are all well and alive
according to Terra."
"Yeah," Kefka muttered, "that's the last good news
I had in a long time."
He absentmindedly scratched the scar on his cheek. Kerr's last
gift. Had almost disclosed Gogo that time. It was good that he
had been able to rehide his face before Celes had seen it. They
hadn't needed the confusion in that moment.
'Pity, pity, pity, pity, brother!'
His imagination had a horrible way of making a replica of Kerr's
mad, screeching voice when Kefka felt helpless and miserable.
'Poor, poor Kefka! Loosing all your little friends, does it hurt,
brother?'
He fought back a shudder as his memory played the insane laughter
he had heard on the top of the tower one year ago.
Brother. Why did you hate me so?
"Kefka?"
He turned his head, finding himself looking at Terra.
"Look, can you go through with facing Strago and the others
who are left?" she carefully asked.
Kefka scratched his scar.
"I'm not ready, but I'll do it anyhow," he said with a
sigh.
"And I am going to keep an eye on thee!" Cyan growled.
Actually, they ended up with everyone, except Edgar, going to the
airship. Cid just followed, without a word or explanation. Celes
and Locke decided to do as Cyan, not one more grain forgiving.
And the only reason the king of Figaro stayed was probably that
he was needed in his castle. No, they didn't trust Kefka. Not at
all.
'Oh dear, oh dear, brother! They all hate you, don't they?'
No!
"You'll get that to bleed again if you don't calm
down," Terra warned him.
"Hmm?"
Kefka realized that he was scratching his scar again, almost
furiously. That habit was really getting a grip of him, or it had
just had so many chances to be used lately. He put the veil back
on to save the old wound. He felt much better with the cloth
hiding his secrets.
Back on the airship he stood alone, watching the ground below. It
was green, but there were spots of brown, dead parts. And all
edges of the continents were still mostly dead cliffs, as if the
water was dangerous to the plants.
He sighed, and without notice the right hand reached up to his
face again.

"You're... you!" Relm stuttered.
"Him! Him dead!" Gau howled.
Strago just crossed his arms and glared at Kefka, making him want
to recoil into the wall. God, that old man could look
terrifying...!
Mog and his gang of moogles had been taking the whole thing
surprisingly calm, and Umaro had been half asleep when they
finally had found him. That had probably been just as well,
anyhow...
The small, white, dancing teddy-bear had calmly explained that it
was obvious that Kefka wasn't the one the heroes had defeated, so
he could only be someone else. So what?
Moogle logic... bless it. Humans were worse.
Gau had become fond of Relm during the adventures, so Strago had
allowed the wild boy to move into the old man and girl's house in
Thamasa. The boy had actually begun to become pretty civilized,
and he was very proud of it. Relm and her grandpa had taught him
how to read, creating a book-eater. Gau was a curious boy, and a
fast learner. Nowadays he stood up straight most of the time. And
had a better hairdo.
But right now, all that was irrelevant.
"Look," Terra said, "he might be Kerr's brother,
but he is also our friend Gogo. Can't we see to that matter, and
not only his face?"
Gau and Relm exchanged glances. Well, they had so far been spared
the kind of suffering that some of the grown-ups had experienced.
They still had a lot of innocence left, and could probably
forgive.
"Leave it, Terra," Kefka said, shaking his head,
"I'm really glad you're trying, but I believe that it's
better that I just disappear now. Setzer, could I please ask of
you to bring me to Triangle island?"
They all watched him in silence. Then the gambler finally nodded.
"Alright, Kefka."
"Thank you."
Damn, was it just his habit or did the scar really itch?
"Then I'll help you find a zone eater," Terra said,
with sadness in her warm, beautiful eyes.
Yes, it was best that he left. He knew it, they knew it. It was
for the better for everyone. The loneliness down in the zone
eater would be much better than the loneliness outside of it.
Maybe he would be able to find peace of mind if he just got to
forget all of those who had been his friends for such a brief
time...
"I'll help too," Cid resolutely said.
Sabin nodded, gravely.
"Thank you," Kefka said, scratching his scar, "but
I..."
"We'll come too!" Relm said, "if you're so sure
that hiding is the solution, well... I guess you're just as
stupid as some goofy old man I know."
Strago ignored her. Kefka too. At least he tried to.
In the end the airship became just as crowded as one year ago.
Kefka went into the small room in the corner of the main room, to
be alone.
'Yes, go away! Get out of the world!'
And that damn laughter!
"Shut up, Kerr!" Kefka growled to himself.
He kept laughing for a few seconds more until Kefka began
scratching his scar to think of something else.
"Don't make it bleed."
He startled and spun around. Terra looked calmly at him. He
hadn't heard her enter, too deep into his thoughts.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked, "that hiding
will clean your name?"
"My name can't be purified," Kefka muttered,
"there's no place for me in this world."
"But you're not giving yourself a chance. I was an imperial
witch, but as people realized that it had been a slave crown that
kept me there, I was forgiven. And you weren't the one who
destroyed the world."
He tried to smile a little, but didn't succeed.
"It's nice of you to try to make me feel better, Terra, but
as you have seen there's no way that all of your friends will
understand. No."
He shook his head.
"And I don't blame them."
"That's just idiotic!" Terra snapped, "you just
have his face; it wasn't you! How can this be? It's completely
absurd!"
'Such a sweet little flower she is! And stupid too! Ha!'
Kefka clenched his teeth, fighting his own imagination. Was he
going mad too?
"It's not that easy to forgive," he said, raising his
hand without thinking about it, "forgiving me would maybe
feel like forgiving my brother."
"It's absurd," Terra repeated, sighing.
"Yes, it is. But it's really not that easy, you see. People
are complicated beings..."
His skin finally broke after the cruel beating.
"Ouch!"
How could such a small wound hurt so much? Felt almost like it
had done when he had gotten it...
"Let me see," Terra kindly said, not blaming him.
"Not necessarily... what the...?"
Kefka stared at his gloved hand, which he had just removed from
the cheek. It was covered with blood. But the wound couldn't be
that big...
"Good grief!" Terra exclaimed and rushed over to him,
pulling a small handkerchief from her pocket, "how can it
bleed that much?"
Lightning bolts flew through Kefka's head as Terra carefully
touched his face with the piece of cloth. He sunk to his knees,
and she followed.
"Don't worry, Kefka, it'll be alright," she promised
him, "here, take the handkerchief..."
He held it against his cheek as Terra ran to the door and called
for the others. Blood was staining the floor as Locke, Celes,
Cyan and Sabin came rushing to see what was wrong. All the others
were up on the deck and hadn't heard Terra's call.
"Don't bother..." Kefka muttered as Sabin grabbed his
arms to help him stand up.
"We need bandages," the muscular man said, ignoring
what the bleeding one had said.
"Come on!" Terra growled as the three other people
hesitated, "it isn't Kefka, it's Gogo, alright? Gogo!"
At first, they all stood silent and hesitating. Then Celes gave a
growl and hurried over to Kefka, giving him another handkerchief.
Terra's was soaking.
"Oh, alright!" Locke finally sighed and went over to
help Sabin give Kefka support.
Terra hurried out of the hall and downstairs. She knew that
Setzer had a box of bandages somewhere...
As she had found it and ran back, she found that Kefka was lying
on one of the sofas, and the group onboard had assembled. The
flow of blood hadn't ceased the slightest.
Kefka watched the world through fading eyes. This bleeding was
going to kill him, and he knew it. If it didn't stop...
Terra removed the second handkerchief and put a bandage there
instead.
Was she the only one who really had accepted the truth apart from
Shadow? She, who should hate his face most of all?
If so, couldn't he die there, anyhow? Did it really matter
anymore?
'Die, you fool! Die!'
That his imagination never could...
It hurt so much... that laughter... filling his head...
burning...
He stared up in Terra's wide eyes.
"What was that?" she whispered.
"Wh-wh... what?" Kefka stuttered.
His life was bleeding away... hurt...
Kerr's laughter...
"Did you hear something?" Terra whispered.
"No, what?" Sabin worriedly asked.
"I thought that I heard..."
Laughing...
"No!" Kefka screeched and sat straight up, violently
pressing his hands against his head, "no... stop!"
Terra rushed to her feet.
"Look!" she shouted.
Kefka only felt as if his head was about to explode. But through
the burning lumps that danced before his eyes he saw something
small and glistening soar from his face. It looked like a tiny
nail...
"Pity, pity, pity, brother! Ha!"
Insane laughter filled the air. Terra stumbled backwards, and she
wasn't the only one.
No, not a nail... it was a piece of a metallic feather. And it
began to glow, burning the blood away.
"K-Kerr..." Kefka stuttered, heavily leaning against
the elbow rest of the sofa.
"How I hate, hate, hate you, brother..."
The glow grew, taking an almost human form.
Two enormous wings tore the air into pieces, sending everyone
flying into the walls. A couple of claw-like hands grabbed
Kefka's shoulders and lifted him from the sofa.
"No magic..." he stuttered, "you can't..."
"No, no magic!" Kerr screeched, "but hate has it's
own power, you see..."
"Can't exist... you are dead!"
Kerr threw his head backwards and laughed. As he did so, Kefka's
misted eyes fell upon his eyeteeth. They weren't teeth, they were
fangs. Undead... he was an undead...
"I am dead, that is true," Kerr sneered, "but I
cannot be completely gone before I have destroyed one last life!
Die, brother!"
He let go with one hand and raised it, ready to cleave...
"Oh no, you don't!"
With his fading sight, Kefka only thought that he saw a wave of
green hair and a white cloak. He fell, but somebody caught him.
"Hang on, Gogo!" Sabin growled.
Kerr backed screeching as Celes and Terra grimly gave him proof
of that one years peace hadn't made them less furious. The woman
with green hair was unarmed, but she did what she could with her
bare hands. Yet her anger wasn't completely focused.
"Will you pick up your blasted head from the floor now,
Cyan?" she snarled, "when this shadow is back to kill?
Is that what it takes for you to trust?! You idiots, all of
you!"
"Now isn't that a pity?" Kerr sneered and grabbed
Terra's crag with his right hand, "pity, pity, pity.
Destroying the greatest power of all, but a mere face crush your
pretty alliance? Ha!"
"Terra!"
Celes threw herself at her struggling friend, but another hand
grabbed her throat. She desperately kicked the air, fumbling for
the undead angel's wrist.
"And little pretty Celes Chere," Kerr smirked,
"still in one piece, dear?"
"Let them go!"
Locke leaped forward but was knocked back by a big foot. The two
women's struggle was getting more and more desperate, fast.
"Interceptor!" Shadow growled, and the assassin
attacked with his dog by his side.
Kerr snarled as he was hit by a dagger in the shoulder and two
lines of sharp fangs buried into his arm. Terra and Celes fell to
the floor. Locke and Setzer rushed to the women, ducking for
Kerr's feet and pulling the two slightly dizzy friends away.
"How dare thee return?!" Cyan growled and
reached for his swords, "after thy defeat..."
"You are such an idiot, Cyan..." Terra coughed, holding
her hands around her throat.
Shadow and Interceptor hit the wall and fell to the floor. Kerr
sneered at the confused warriors.
"Give him to me!" he screeched, "you don't want
him, so why are you fighting to keep him?"
"You'll never get it, will you?" Relm snapped,
instinctively reaching for her brushes even though they held
little power nowadays.
Gau's hair bristled, and he was growling in a dangerous way.
Sabin was backing, on guard. He had to bring Kefka to as much
safety as there was. The prince caught Strago's eyes, and the two
men nodded. The older one held his staff in a tight grip, moving
in between Kefka and his undead brother as Sabin put the wounded
one down on the floor. Cid rushed over the floor with a new
bandage.
"Are you alright, Shadow?" Sabin called, ripping his
clawed knuckle-dusters from his belt.
The assassin rose up on his hands, shaking his head to regain his
orientation. Interceptor was reminding a lot of Gau for the
moment.
"We said that we wouldn't allow you to harm another living
thing," Celes snarled, "and that includes Gogo, whether
he has your face or not!"
"Hear ye, hear ye!"
Everyone stared at Terra. Her eyes were shooting lightning bolts.
"I see," she snarled, "now he's worth
something again! This is absurd! I thought I knew you better than
this!"
"Oh, don't give me that kind of crap again..." Kerr
sighed, floating upside down in the air with his feet touching
the ceiling.
"You just shut up," Terra snapped at him, giving him a
poisonous glare.
"Look who's talking big... the little lady
Maduindaughter."
Kerr sneered.
"Well, well," he said, "if you little fools are
determined to keep my brother, I guess I'll just make a little
hole in your pretty balloon up there."
He hit the ceiling with his heel, and the thick planks broke like
hay. Immediately the wind began to howl inside of the room,
making Kerr's strange robes flap like his wings.
"Why do you want to kill him so badly, Kerr?" Setzer
growled, trying to stop the madman with words.
The big angel-creature waved with a finger.
"No, no, no," he said, soft as silk, "my name is
not Kerr, it's Kefka."
"I don't believe it, you want to kill him of jealousy,
you nutcase?" Relm said, disbelieving.
"Of course he wants to," Cid growled, pressing another
bandage against Kefka's cheek, "he was always jealous at his
brother. You have no idea how strong that feeling can be,
especially when it's fused with insanity, little lady."
Kefka's trembling hand tried to hold the bandage.
"You can have my blasted name..." he bitterly
stuttered, "you've stained it already..."
"Is this when I should scream and disappear because of your
sacrifice?" Kerr sneered and began laughing, suddenly
rushing through the air with his wings beating like two blades of
a meat-mincer.
Kefka could hardly see at all by then. He only heard the others
scream and hoped that everyone had ducked in time. Then he heard
Cid give a half strangled shout, and the bandage fell as there
was no strong hand that could help him hold it in place anymore.
Cold fingers encircled his neck and ripped him from the floor.
"Sir Gogo!" Cyan shouted.
Yes, I am Gogo... call me Gogo, then everything will be
alright... alright...
Even his burning throat and lunges didn't seem to matter that
much anymore.
Just call me Gogo...
It'll be fine.
He had no idea how he could do it; his leg seemed to draw back by
itself and then heavily hit Kerr's chest. Snarling in surprise
the madman lost his grip a little, and Kefka broke free. He hit
the floor, Cyan grabbed his hand.
"Come, Sir," the swordsman grimly said, "thy
strength is not enough for this battle."
The red liquid on Kefka's gloves stained Cyan's palm, but he
didn't seem to care the slightest. With the help of the resolute
friend and his legs shaking of the loss of blood, the mimicker
somehow managed to stagger away from his growling brother. Kerr
was spitting and snarling, suffering attacks from all directions.
As the angel-creature tried to fend himself against Locke's
dagger, Celes gave him a cut in the hip from behind. Spinning
around, he left his back vulnerable to Setzer, who was ready with
his very sharp, metallic playing cards. Two buried in Kerr's
back, but fell out with a hit of the wings at the same time as
the angel sent a powerful kick into the gambler's stomach. Setzer
flew backwards, knocking Gau to the floor when the boy tried to
stop his friend's dangerous flight. In rage, Terra and Sabin
attacked simultaneously, almost sending Kerr into the wall. But
his palms were the only things hitting the wood, and he used that
support to dash backwards and return the favor. Sabin almost
landed on Terra as they were sent above the floor, but managed to
avoid hurting her with his weight by getting a grip of her
shoulder and pushing her aside even while they both fell.
Celes attacked again, raising her sword for a powerful slice. But
Kerr saw her coming and reached out for her, as an attacking
snake. His long fingers caught her wrist and sent her stumbling
past him. While he was turned away, Strago took the opportunity
to practice a jump of a height that his age shouldn't allow, and
forcefully placed his staff in the back of Kerr's head. Dropping
a comment about old men and staffs, the madman reached backwards,
grabbed Strago's arms and violently pulled. Relm's grandpa spun
around as he fell, and landed on his feet just beside Setzer.
"Shadow, now!" Locke shouted.
The assassin pulled out a black dagger, undoubtedly the Striker,
and it flew through the air like a swallow of death.
There was a terribly soft thump.
Kerr screeched of pain and rage; a fading screech and growl as he
sunk to the floor, twitching like a wounded animal, trying to get
a grip of the black hilt that was stuck in the back of his neck.
Then suddenly he froze and fell, loose-limbed. His mad eyes,
which had burned a second ago now stared blankly at the ceiling,
wide open in shock.
He didn't move anymore.
Everyone held their breath for almost a minute. Kerr's legs
twitched a couple of times; death throes.
"Is everyone well?" Cyan finally asked.
"How's Kefka?" a coir of uneasy voices shot back.
"Aye..." the swordsman sadly said.
They rushed over the floor and sat down on their knees, anxiously
watching the half deathly pale, half blood-stained face. It
looked like a mask of a horror theater.
Kefka's feverish eyes tried to focus on the many faces around
him.
"Wh... what...?" he whispered.
It was almost impossible to hear his weakened voice, especially
with the wind howling from the hole in the ceiling.
"He's gone," Terra softly said, trying not to let her
voice give away her despair for Kefka's fading life, "not
even he could survive the Striker's poison, since he had no
magic..."
Kefka tiredly blinked, trying to remember something important.
"No..." he muttered, frowning, "Striker can't...
undead..."
"What?!"
They all spun around or looked up as they heard the hoarse
giggling.
"You seem to have forgotten how hard it is to do away with
ol' Kefka!" Kerr sneered, sending the Striker into the floor
were Shadow had been half a second ago.
"You're not Kefka!" Cid growled, "you're Kerr, the
madman!"
"No, no, no," Kerr spitted, "I am Kefka!"
"Gods, let him... have the damn... name..." Kefka
whispered, "let me... let me just be Gogo..."
All the bandages were bleed through. Cid desperately looked
around, but Cyan cut off a piece of the wounded man's robe and
put the yellow cloth against the bleeding cheek.
"Terra is right," the swordsman gravely said, ignoring
the battling in the background, "I was a fool, Gogo. 'Tis
indeed tragic that it would take such circumstances to make me
think clearly."
"I und-underst... understand..." Kefka muttered.
Yes, he understood. Cyan had had the right of not trusting him.
They had all had that right. After all, he hadn't trusted himself
either; dreaded the one he really was and hated his face.
He felt so cold and tired. Maybe if he just fell asleep, the pain
would disappear...
Sleep. That sounded nice.
There was a sound of glass shattering, followed by a scream. Not
of pain, but pure anger.
'Kerr...' Kefka thought, fading, 'is that you...?'
He couldn't see anything, too tired to even try. Only listen.
"You puny little fools!" Kerr's voice screeched.
"You're the only fool around here!" Locke's voice
growled, "here, catch!"
Kerr screamed again, to the sound of more broken glass.
"Cyan!" Setzer shouted, "there should be more
healing potions in the cupboard, get them!"
Kefka felt the swordsman move away and heard hurrying footsteps.
"Here, Sir Cid," Cyan's voice muttered, "whatever
good can be done is worth trying."
The cloth left Kefka's cheek, and was replaced with a soft
feeling of purifying warmth.
"I guess you can't drink it," Cid muttered, "don't
worry, my friend, it'll be alright."
There were more smashes of glass. As the herbal potion sent
careful, healing tentacles through Kefka's flesh, he regained his
sight a little.
Kerr looked as if he was partly melting, the potions that healed
living was deadly for an undead. But he was still standing
strong, fending himself against those who tried to hit him with
their weapons. Terra and Relm was standing in the back, carefully
aiming not to waste the three last bottles of healing drugs.
"Do the Bum Rush now, Sabin!" the woman with green hair
shouted as she successfully threw a bottle.
"Back off!" the warrior prince yelled and took a deep,
calm breath.
Kerr had no chance to scream again as Sabin attacked him, looking
like a deadly, human tornado.
The mad angel heavily hit the floor, and Terra ran over to him
with the two last bottles and smashed them onto Kerr's chest. His
hand flew up and grabbed her shoulder, trying to make her loose
her balance. But as she easily broke free, he gave one last growl
and then became quiet.
When his hand hit the ground, it turned to dust. The rest of the
great body followed, even the metallic wings.
There was a moment's silence.
"Is he gone now?" Gau finally asked.
Terra sat down on one knee and held her hand above the pile of
dust. Then she blew carefully at it, making it lazily twirl and
dance over the floor.
"Yes, this time he is," she finally concluded.
Kefka smiled tiredly and closed his eyes. There was a darkness
reaching for him, but it wasn't evil. It was a warm, welcoming
fall that awaited. It would only bring away all the pain and
harsh memories, blessing him with peace of mind.
It's time. Time to rest.
He thought that he heard his friends call his name. They called
him Kefka.
No, I'm not Kefka. I am Gogo. Let me die with that name,
please...
I can't die as Kefka.
I have to live, to teach them that I'm Gogo.
The darkness seemed to hesitate, watching him.
Don't you want to come?
No, not yet.
Very well, then.
It seemed to smile, understanding.

He opened his eyes. At first, everything was dark. Then he
managed to harness the soft light spilling out through a curtain
and use it to see better.
"Are you awake, Kefka?"
He blinked.
"Terra...?" his broken voice produced.
She gave him a relieved smile in the puny light.
"You're in Mobliz," she softly told him, "you've
been unconscious for two days. We were afraid that you'd die...
Kerr is dead now, for real."
He frowned, then sighed silently.
'Find rest, brother,' he thought, 'do find peace this time.'
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Better than before," he muttered, even managing to
smile a little.
"Go figure..." Terra said, smiling carefully,
"here, drink this."
She helped him to sit up and put a glass by his lips. The sweet
potion sent warm streams through his whole body, not harming him
like it had done to his brother.
"Thanks," he mumbled as he lay back again.
She smiled a little.
"Hey, Kefka..."
"No."
He shook his head.
"Call me Gogo."
Terra smiled again and nodded.
"I... we understood that Gogo would be better for all
of us. Here."
She bent down and picked up something from the floor, placing it
on the bed beside Gogo.
It was his helmet, and the torn cloth had been replaced with a
new veil.
"Strago knew a little about sewing," she said, a bit
sheepishly.
"That old man?" Gogo smiled, "is there something
at all that you people can't do?"
"I doubt it."
Terra smiled and rose from her seat.
"I'll tell the others that you're awake. Edgar, Mog and
Umaro are here too; Setzer went to fetch them. Didn't listen to
any protests."
She left the room, carefully closing the door.
Gogo sat up in the bed, examining the helmet that laid on the
blanket. That was his face. His skin had nothing to give the eyes
of the world.
His fingers trembled a little as he touched the veil; he was
still weak after the loss of blood. It didn't matter. He had his
face again.
Kerr would maybe live on inside of his memory, but it wasn't
important anymore. If his allies were his friends even though
they knew about his past, nothing else really mattered.
Terra came back, and behind her were Celes, Locke, Cyan, Sabin,
Edgar, Setzer, Shadow, Interceptor, Mog, Umaro, Relm, Strago, Gau
and Cid. They walked silently, weary of Gogo's condition. He
smiled at them, maybe a bit tiredly, but it was a true smile. And
they smiled back, relieved.
"Welcome back, Gogo," Relm grinned.
"Thank you, little lady," he replied.
Gogo.
I am Gogo. Finally.

The End.

I made an exception here. I promised myself I'd never write about
"last boss return for second rond", because it's hard
to make that make sense. Anyhow... the next story will soon be
finished as I write this. As you've read this story, it might be
there for you already. In any case, read on, either the third
part or something else ;)